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Feb 1, 2013
02/13
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and you know i'm qualified for this job to be the head of the pentagon, defense secretary. it was almost like he was stunned by it. your thoughts. >> i think you're right. i think it was very personal. i was stunned by it, too. especially the way mccain kept pursuing it and pursuing it. clearly, john wanted chuck to say yes, i was wrong and you were right. and of course the verdict of history, as hagel tried to say, is still out on that. and frankly, in my view as a soldier, the surge had almost nothing to do with the actual increase in american troops. what it had to do was the coincidence of a number of things that were already moving in iraq. not least of which was the awakening. and it had to do with very frankly a general by the name of david petraeus taking advantage of this in order to enhance his own reputation. and as far as i'm concerned, the increase in troops had nothing to do with the change in the situation in iraq except that it got a bunch of them killed, as senator hagel was careful to point out. >> and that is paralleling his opening comments, which you ta
and you know i'm qualified for this job to be the head of the pentagon, defense secretary. it was almost like he was stunned by it. your thoughts. >> i think you're right. i think it was very personal. i was stunned by it, too. especially the way mccain kept pursuing it and pursuing it. clearly, john wanted chuck to say yes, i was wrong and you were right. and of course the verdict of history, as hagel tried to say, is still out on that. and frankly, in my view as a soldier, the surge had...
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Jan 8, 2013
01/13
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i don't know what his management experience is regarding the pentagon, little if any. so i think it's an incredibly controversial choice. and it looks like the second term of barack obama is going to be an in-your-face term. >> well, senator hagel is a straight talker from the midwest. he'll give you an unvarnished opinion, and very outspoken. but he has stated his unequivocal total support for israel, saying critics have completely distorted his record. graham predicted other republicans would have a hard time with hagel's nomination. and it just makes you wonder what is really behind all this. senator graham complained that hagel had cut ties with the republican party. but obviously president obama isn't under any requirement to nominate anybody from any party, especially the republicans in the first place. maybe republicans don't like the fact that hagel won't be so eager to get us into another confrontation overseas. here is more from the president. >> he understands that sending young americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, that's something we only do wh
i don't know what his management experience is regarding the pentagon, little if any. so i think it's an incredibly controversial choice. and it looks like the second term of barack obama is going to be an in-your-face term. >> well, senator hagel is a straight talker from the midwest. he'll give you an unvarnished opinion, and very outspoken. but he has stated his unequivocal total support for israel, saying critics have completely distorted his record. graham predicted other republicans...
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Jan 15, 2013
01/13
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because if you look at the cuts, if we go down that road, it's going to hit the pentagon pretty hard. and that's, of course, their core. they don't want to let that go. >> they want to make the president look like he can't run the country. that's what the bottom line here is. nobody wants to say that. but that's what it's about. if they were serious about medicare, if they were serious about medicaid, if they were serious about defense, they could sit down and have the regular order in the congress and have committee hearings, and actually make some sensible cuts. every one of us knows there are sensible ways to deal with the deficit and the debt of this country. but you do not get it by threatening people to burn the house down as a way of making them come to the table. that simply won't work. >> are you confident president obama will stick to his guns? >> i am. >> this is it. you are? >> i'm absolutely -- he's been burned by these guys enough times. it's like going to the county or like charlie brown and lucy and the football. he's said i'm going to kick the football and lucy keeps
because if you look at the cuts, if we go down that road, it's going to hit the pentagon pretty hard. and that's, of course, their core. they don't want to let that go. >> they want to make the president look like he can't run the country. that's what the bottom line here is. nobody wants to say that. but that's what it's about. if they were serious about medicare, if they were serious about medicaid, if they were serious about defense, they could sit down and have the regular order in...
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Mar 19, 2013
03/13
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he insists the situation in iraq had spiralled out of control long after he had left the pentagon. he lashed out at critics who accused the bush administration of lying about saddam's terrorist connections and supposed weapons program. wolfowitz defends bush saying a mistake is one thing, a lie is something else. but now we know the basis for the iraq war was based on a lie. members demanded there was a connection between 9/11 and saddam hussein. >> we all looked at each other like, what are they talking about? who the hell -- saddam hussein? bin laden hates him. thinks he's a heretic. there's no connection between saddam hussein and al qaeda. >> wolfowitz so-called mistake has cost many lives. tonight a poll shows 53% of americans believe we should not have invaded iraq. tonight instead of taking responsibility, paul wolfowitz is criticizing the war he helped to create. i'm joined now by eugene robinson, pulitzer prize winning columnist for the washington post. gene robinson, you're a wordsmith of the first order. was it a lie or a mistake? >> i have to go to lie. simply because,
he insists the situation in iraq had spiralled out of control long after he had left the pentagon. he lashed out at critics who accused the bush administration of lying about saddam's terrorist connections and supposed weapons program. wolfowitz defends bush saying a mistake is one thing, a lie is something else. but now we know the basis for the iraq war was based on a lie. members demanded there was a connection between 9/11 and saddam hussein. >> we all looked at each other like, what...
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Jan 31, 2013
01/13
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the pentagon spent almost 13% more than normal in the third quarter, but at the end of the year, defense spending suddenly dropped 22%. that's the biggest drop in defense spending since 1972. the private sector did its part to grow the economy. families worked hard. they spent some money. businesses made some investments. but government spending dipped and pulled the entire economy down with it. less spending caused less growth. but republicans like paul ryan keep saying, well, these cuts are going to boost the growth. >> we're not preaching austerity. we're preaching growth and opportunity. our job, our goal is to prevent and preempt austerity so we can get back to growth. >> really? countries like greece, italy and spain and france have done exactly what ryan wants this country to do. they cut government spending to pay off their debt. now the eurozone has posted record unemployment and poverty. we are facing $85 billion in automatic spending cuts on march 1st. we probably shouldn't trust republicans who think austerity is the best way to go for the american economy. let's bring in dav
the pentagon spent almost 13% more than normal in the third quarter, but at the end of the year, defense spending suddenly dropped 22%. that's the biggest drop in defense spending since 1972. the private sector did its part to grow the economy. families worked hard. they spent some money. businesses made some investments. but government spending dipped and pulled the entire economy down with it. less spending caused less growth. but republicans like paul ryan keep saying, well, these cuts are...
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Feb 21, 2013
02/13
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"wired" magazine reports that senate minority leader mitch mcconnell asked the pentagon to get to the bottom of what he called a very troubling story. "i'm writing on behalf of a constituent who has contacted me regarding guantanamo bay prisoners receiving post-9/11 gi bill benefits." the constituent wrote to mcconnell about this disturbing information after reading an article on the duffel blog. it turns out that duffel blog reports on all kinds of stuff, like syria hosting iraq war reenactors. in other words, it's satire, folks. and now mcconnell's office is defending its actions? they put out a statement saying "senator mcconnell's office is hyper vigilant about finding answers to the questions raised by his constituents." how do you make that up, eric? >> that's a ridiculous statement from senator mcconnell's office. yes, senate offices, house office, they get a lot of request for information. but they do have the internet in those offices. they can -- the staff can google things, and they can look to see if they're true or not. i just can't imagine any senate staffer looking at t
"wired" magazine reports that senate minority leader mitch mcconnell asked the pentagon to get to the bottom of what he called a very troubling story. "i'm writing on behalf of a constituent who has contacted me regarding guantanamo bay prisoners receiving post-9/11 gi bill benefits." the constituent wrote to mcconnell about this disturbing information after reading an article on the duffel blog. it turns out that duffel blog reports on all kinds of stuff, like syria hosting...